God is the only one that can bring freedom from spiritual darkness completely.  The darkness of untruths, such as, the untruth that we are responsible for living the Christian life the best we can.

My Spiritual Darkness

Why did God touch my heart? I don’t know, but when I was wandering in my dark world attempting to live this Christian life, He reached across the vastness of space, across our solar system, and around the world to touch my heart.

God’s touch

Why did He touch me of all people? I’ll never know. But…I will be forever grateful. I owe Him my very breath. No one else could take the sin and darkness from me.  O how much He cared for me. 

When you’ve been touched by God like that, nothing else seems to matter. He will do the same for you…if you want Him to. He is so loving and so powerful that He can cleanse any filthy and despicable person. He can free from every chain that binds us. Every chain – not just the easy ones. Every addiction, perversion or bad character trait. Even the chain of performance-based Christianity. I know. He did it for me.

Miracle

It was a miracle. I didn’t have to do anything except actively yield myself to Him. I had to realize that there was no way that I could live right on my own. My natural self could not produce spiritual growth.

I had to accept the fact that I was lost.

Period. Lost. No hope.

I went to Him and confessed that I was incapable of pleasing Him consistently.

What happened? When I quit trying, He stepped in with His power and created His life in me. It was no longer me trying to be godlike. It was His very life birthed and now growing in me. Over time it began to fill every part of my being. 

He did it all! No counselors. No step programs. No drugs. No self-help. Nothing. (Not that I am against any of these). In my case, He is totally responsible for my freedom from darkness. No person nor anything gets any credit. Not me or anyone else. God gets all the credit and honor. He is that loving and powerful. He gave me a new life.

That same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to raise you to a new life when you die to the old life. This power can transform you. That power is so incredible! It is God Himself that will change you. I am dumbfounded every time I stop to think about it. 

So you can see why I owe Him my life, my very breath. He freed me from that darkness that I was stuck in. The darkness of performance-based Christianity.

Are you living in the darkness of some bondage or addiction? Maybe it is the darkness of trying to be a good Christian. God provides a real lasting freedom from darkness.

Words to light your path – 

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus…

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Lord God, open our eyes to see that it is all of You. It is You that will live through us, conforming us to the image of Your Son. It is not us striving to be a good Christian. It is not our ability to live for You, but it is Your life living through us.